By the 1960s, many of us believed that the Civil Rights Movement could eliminate racism in America during our lifetime. But despite significant progress, racism remains.” —Bill Cosby
A LEGACY THAT WILL STAND… BY: DR. MYRON E. CLOYD When I was a kid in the mid 1960’s Gunsmoke, the Beverly Hillbillies, the Man from Uncle, and the Dick Van Dyke Show, were some of the television shows that were popular. Homes across American were filled with faces that became so familiar kids (and adults) would often internalize their narratives. I can remember going outside to play “cowboys and Indians” after watching a western or “cops and robbers” after watch an episode of Dragnet. In my opinion these examples illustrate the power of television.
HARDWORK
In 1965 William Henry Cosby, Jr. was the co-star of “I-Spy.” Up to that point there had not been a African-American man with a lead role on dramatic television show. You had “Amos & Andy” and Roscoe on the “Jack Benny Show,” but those portrayals were stereotypes and caricatures that reinforced a negative self concept for African-American viewers and reinforced the dominate, racist world view of white supremacist ideology. Bill Cosby’s portrayal was not only a first but the character he portrayed was cool, thetremag.com
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